RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF LAND USE SYSTEMS IN IMPROVING THE ORGANIC MATTER AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS IN IKWUANO SOUTH EASTERN, NIGERIA

The relative effectiveness of land use systems in improving the organic matter and physical properties of Ikwuano soils were evaluated. The study was conducted on an excavation site, a forest land, bush fallow land of five years, a refuse dump as well as that of the continuously cultivated land. However, organic matter content was significantly high on the refuse dump site and also clay content was high in excavation site, while sandy loam dominated other land use systems. Bulk density and micro porosity values of the soil under different land use systems increased with increase in depth. Also, total porosity and hydraulic conductivity decreased with increased in depth. Therefore, the variations between bulk density and total porosity is attributed to the results of organic matter obtained on refuse dump, bush fallow land, forest land as well as continuously cultivated land use systems. Under excavation land use, the soil was (P<0.05) more compact than other land use systems and this was due to low bulk density. However, refuse dump site (RD) gave significantly the highest values of soil organic matter and physical properties than the other land use systems at the various soil depths, whereas excavation site gave statistically the least value in the order : RD>FL>BF>CC>EX.